1 CD, The Portman Family: Shirley Brown, Barbara Thomas and Patricia, relatives of George Portman interviewed by David Rayvern Allen and Adam Chadwick. The CD consists of 3 tracks.
Track 1: [0:00-1:11] Introductions, [1:12-2:35] Portman family member talks about running the cafe facing St Johns Wood Road, [2:36-3:01 Rayvern Allen talks about Thomas Lord's original wine shop, [3:02-4:37] Portman family members talk about George Portman taking over the cafe in 1902, [4:38-5:32] Portman family members talk about getting to know the cafe in the 1930's and not wanting to hear stories about it, [5:33-6:36] Portman family members talk about visiting for Sunday dinner and picking up bread from the bakery on Saturday mornings, [6:37-7:20] Portman family members talk about the old Lord's Hotel and carriages arriving, [7:21-8:58] Barbara Thomas talks about buffets on Elm Tree Road, [8:59-9:59] Portman family members talk about Gubby Allen, Jimmy Cannon and Pelham Warner visiting the shop.
[10:00-12:44] Portman family members talk about where the bakery was located, lots of staff in the kitchens and George being very hands on around the whole ground, [12:45-13:46] Portman family members talk about George's fathers shop in Dorset Street and discuss family members in a photograph, [13:47-14:41] Portman family members talk about George Portman knowing exactly how many sandwiches to make on the first cricket match of the summer, [14:42-15:58] Portman family members talk about George Portman dying in 1958, being a lively 80 year old and getting praise from Bud Flanagan, [15:59-20:20] Portman family members talk about George Portman taking staff on a boat trip every year and discuss family members and staff in photographs.
[20:21-24:20] Portman family members discuss the shops George Portman owned, go through more photographs featuring the hotel long room, layout of catering rooms and queues, [24:21-26:49] Portman family members discuss George Portman preparing cakes and not knowing the name of the Lord's shop, [26:50-29:57] Portman family members discuss George Portman staying with the Duke of Norfolk, Barbara's wedding photograph and carriages outside the hotel, [29:58-32:26] Portman family members discuss his retirement and how Brian Johnston mentioned black market things happening during Second World War.
[32:27-36:52] Portman family members discuss letters relating to portraits, newspaper articles on George Portman, the amounts of food and drink he used to sell and state of the kitchens, [36:53-38:29] Portman family members discuss where people including themselves used to sit and the hiring of a jazz band for Christmas and going through more photographs including the Queen Mother, [38:30-41:17] Rayvern Allen reads more on an article on Portman and goes through more items including a letter from the Duke of Norfolk,
[41:18-42:51] Portman family members talk about Portman being a friendly with a footman from Buckingham Palace and his car, [42:52-46:19] Portman family members talk about going after school, what it was like during winter time and goes through more signatures, the hands of Godfrey Evans, what they did during wartime and the three shops, [46:20-49:34] Portman family members talk about Portman’s immediate family and settling in London.
[49:35-50:52] Patricia talks about international chefs in the Lord's kitchen and Shirley talks about how he made swiss rolls by hand, [50:53-52:55] Portman family members talk about an excerpt from Pelham Warner's book and items they have inherited, [52:56-54:54] Portman family members talk about making ice cream and Bradman's birthday cake, [54:55-58:40] Portman family members talk about cricketers visiting the hotel including one player dying after drinking a glass of milk, the location of the royal box, silver service and Lord's being part of the social scene, [58:41-1:00:28] Patricia talks about being able to go round Lord's as long as they behaved themselves and Portman doing the catering from a charity ball at the Royal Albert Hall, [1:00:29-1:02:29] Portman family members talk about the selling of alcohol at Lord's and Portman being on the board of Portman Building Society, [1:03:00-1:05:52] Portman family members talk about more pictures including Portman's shops, [1:05:53-1:07:11] Portman family members physically describe George Portman and his personality.
Track 2 [0:00-5:26] Portman family members talk about his voice, Barbara's wedding and being able to mix with different class levels, the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk marrying Colin Cowdrey and her family, [5:27-8:16] Portman family members talk about recipe’s, sourcing of food, cooking Christmas dinners and the black market during the Second World War.
Track 3 [0:00-3:39] Portman family members talk about making hatfield and claret cups and Portman being teetotal, serving drinks, everything being made on the premises and Portman using sand for cement during Second World War for a rockery.